Retrofit Roof Ridge Anchor

ABSTRACT

A device, system and method for providing an assembly configured for hooking to a ridge rafter of a building is provided. In one embodiment the device comprises a single piece unit, made from steel or another sufficiently strong material which is hooked at one end and looped at the other end thus forming an eye. The hook starts by turning a 90 degree and then a 0 degree to 180 degree turn. The compound angle thus formed allows the device to be angled into a small opening. The device is used to hook the ridge rafter from the bottom side of a building roof while having a tie-off point for fall protection.

The present application claims the benefit of and is acontinuation-in-part of U.S. application No. 61/536,566, filed Sep. 20,2011 and titled Retrofit Roof Ridge Anchor, which is herein incorporatedby reference in its entirety.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The technology described herein relates generally to anchoring systems.In particular, the technology described herein relates to devices forroof ridge anchoring.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

A roofer specializes in roof construction, concentrating on theapplication of materials that water proof and/or weather proofbuildings, designed material—as a substrate for the roofing materials tobe installed on. The rafters, beams, and trusses are the frame orskeleton for the roof to be built upon. Naturally, a roofer must not bescared of heights and have good balance as well as carpentry skills.

A rafter is one of a series of sloped structural members (beams), thatextend from the ridge or hip to the downslope perimeter or eave,designed to support the roof deck and its associated loads. A beam is ahorizontal structural element that is capable of withstanding loadprimarily by resisting bending. The bending force induced into thematerial of the beam as a result of the external loads, own weight, spanand external reactions to these loads is called a bending moment. Atruss is a structure comprising one or more triangular units constructedwith straight members whose ends are connected at joints referred to asnodes.

A roofing toe board is one of the most basic pieces of safety equipmenta roofer can use. A toe board is a long piece of 2′×4′ (a 2×4) woodnailed horizontally along a roof in various locations.

A simple bolt on or nail on metal straps with an eye loop to tie off onis also used to facilitate safety from falling.

Most roofers work in a variety of weather conditions, sometimes severeheat, and resist wearing an apparatus such as a safety harness. As aresult of needing both an unencumbered work environment and the need tostay as cool as possible, roofers prefer the toe board due to itsfreeness of movement. In case an accident does occur and a roofer loseshis/her footing, the 2×4 would stop the roofer from sliding down and/oroff the roof. More deaths occur in falls that for any other reason inthe construction profession.

The need exists for efficient and effective alternatives for roofers toquickly provide a safety solution to prevent falling.

Related patents and published patent applications known in thebackground art include the following:

U.S. Pat. No. 5,553,685, issued to Cook on Sep. 10, 1996, discloses apersonal fall-arrest safety anchor of a unitary form, including a hoopportion for encircling a standard dimensioned rafter and an aperturedtab portion for attachment of a lifeline. The hoop portion includes twoparallel vertical members and a bridging web unitarily connecting thelower ends of the vertical members. The bridging web prevents pullout ofthe anchor in the direction of forces exerted by a lifeline. Thebridging web further allows a bracing or wedging member to be insertedbetween the bottom of the rafter and the bridging web, which act both asa locking wedge and additional load bearing support for the rafter. Anindependent overlapping plate installed over the vertical members of theanchor reduces the chances of fastener pull-out by a torque or shearingforce upon fasteners. A preformed elastomeric flashing with afrusto-pyramidal apertured member is installed over the tab portion forweather-proofing the anchor.

U.S. Pat. No. 5,595,260, issued to Jalla on Jan. 21,1997, discloses areusable roofline anchor and its installation between two adjacent rooftrusses of residential buildings in order to provide lifeline support toroofing personnel. The roofline anchor is separated into smaller andconvenient components which can be easily assembled at the installationlocation. After installation, the load bearing member of the rooflineanchor can be easily removed for reuse at a different location or forreplacement subsequent to any damage.

U.S. Pat. No. 5,687,535, issued to Rohlf on Nov. 18, 1997, discloses adetachable roof anchor having a fixed, permanent portion and aremovable, reusable portion. The permanent portion includes a roofanchor base plate, two carriage bolts and a truss clamp having serratededges that engage the bottom side of the roof rafter. Releasablyattachable to the permanent portion is a pivoting D-ring attachmentmember held in place by a clamp plate bolted to the roof anchor baseplate. The attachment member, while providing safe and secure attachmentof fall protection devices, also permits a wide range of motion withoutcompromising the safety of the worker on the roof

U.S. Pat. No. 5,730,245, issued to Conway on Mar. 24, 1998, discloses ananchor for safety cables which can be attached to the framing of thefloor as it is built, and removed and re-used after the floor iscompleted. The anchor has lower and upper plates separated by a spacerthe thickness of an I-beam cross-plate. The anchor clamps between twoadjacent beams, with the upper and lower plates sliding around the topplate of the I-beam and being fastened firmly with setscrews in thelower plate. Eye bolts screw into the anchor plate to provide a tie-offspot for cables. The thickness of the anchor plate over the deck supportbeams is such that the top of the anchor plate is flush with the surfaceof the plywood decking over which the concrete will be poured. In use,the anchor is slid into the desired location between the top plates oftwo deck support I-beams and screwed tightly into place using thesetscrews in the lower plate of the anchor. When the plywood deck islaid, it is notched around the anchor plate, and the surface of theupper plate of the anchor forms a flush floor with the top of theplywood deck. The workers can tie off their safety cables to theeyebolts screwed into the anchor. When the time comes to pour the floor,the eyebolts are removed and the holes covered with duct tape. The flooris poured, and when it cures and the beams and plywood are removed, theanchors can be easily detached from the I-beams and re-used.

U.S. Pat. No. 5,850,889, issued to Rexroad et al. on Dec. 22, 1998,discloses a single post anchor for lifelines with a generally elongatemember having at one end a means configured to engage about a structuralmember and having a clamping assembly which acts on another surface ofthe structure to secure the anchor in place. A swivel is provided aspart of the anchor to which a retractable lifeline device or the like isattached.

U.S. Pat. No. 6,732,835, issued to Souto et al. on May 11, 2004,discloses a roofing stage for pitched roofs which includes first andsecond elongated tracks disposed generally parallel to one another. Abase bracket attaches a lower end of each track to roof beams. Paddedfeet extend from a bottom surface of the tracks for contact with theroof. Hooks extend from upper ends of the first and second brackets forattachment to an apex of the roof. A carriage bracket is slidablyattached to each track and has a foot support extending therefrom. Aplatform bracket is slidably attached to each of the first and secondtracks above the carriage brackets for supporting a platformtherebetween. The movable brackets enable the roofer to propertyposition himself and necessary tools and supplies.

U.S. Pat. No. 6,779,316, issued to Carroll on Aug. 24, 2004, disclosesan anchor for providing an attachment point on a surface. In oneembodiment, the anchor includes a center shaft having a first member anda second member pivotally coupled thereto. The center shaft has anattachment end and a piercing end. The piecing end is driven through thesurface allowing the first and second members to pass therethrough. Oncethrough the surface, the first and second members rotate away from thecenter shaft to an open position, thus preventing the anchor fromdisengaging the roof. A collar may be slidably disposed on the centershaft. The collar may be slid against the surface to lock the members inthe open position.

U.S. Pat. No. 6,868,647, issued to Poldman on Mar. 22, 2005, discloses amethod is provided for mounting a roof anchor on a roof supportstructure having an underside surface, the roof fully or partiallycovered with roof covering material, the roof anchor including anattachment means and a shaft, the method including the steps of: a)making a first hole in the covering material and the roof supportstructure, which first hole is capable of receiving the shaft; b)forming an aperture in the covering material adjacent the first hole andthe roof support structure; c) inserting an anchor block, having asecond hole capable of fixedly engaging the shaft, through the apertureand locating the anchor block at the underside surface such that thefirst and second holes are in registry; and d) inserting the shaftthrough both the first and second holes whereby to fixedly engage theroof anchor to the anchor block, such that the roof anchor is mounted onthe roof support structure.

U.S. Pat. No 6,966,531, issued to Curtin on Nov. 22, 2005, discloses ananchor for securing a working line to a structure. The anchor includes asole plate with an attachment the working line. There is at least onefriction plate and a connector strap. In use of the anchor the soleplate and friction plate are located against respective opposite sidesof a rafter of the structure and are linked together by the strap in amanner such that the working line load on the sole plate generates aclamping force between the sole plate and the friction plate. This forceresists movement of the anchor by gripping only the outside of therafter.

U.S. Pat. No. 7,708,246, issued to Trask on May 4, 2010, discloses anactuator device operable to retract the cam elements of a spring-loadedcamming device (SLCD) used in the sport of rock climbing. The actuatorincludes a remote finger and a remote thumb. The remote finger ismounted in a handle to permit translation of the remote finger along anaxis, and rotation of the remote finger about that axis. In use, theremote finger can be rotated to present a narrow profile to pass betweenthe trigger bar of a SLCD and a wall of a crack. Subsequent to itsinsertion behind the trigger bar, the remote finger can be rotated byabout 90 degrees to capture the trigger bar. Then, the remote finger andremote thumb can be urged toward each other, effective to squeeze theSLCD and rotate its cam elements, to effect removal of the SLCD from theconfines of the crack.

U.S. Published Patent Application 2005/0269154, inventor Siemienowicz,published on Dec. 8 2005, discloses an engineered fall-arrest mechanismthat stops the free fall of up to two workers simultaneously. Theinvention is depicted in described in three preferred embodiments.

U.S. Published Patent Application 2011/0085873, inventors Guthrie etal., discloses an anchor bolt providing for fall protection. The anchorbolt has an anchoring device that may be of any standard type, formaking use of an aperture either in or through a structure as ananchoring point, an elongate flexible member connected to the anchoringdevice at one end of the elongate flexible member, and a handleconnected to a second end of the flexible member. The handle member ispivotally attached to the second end, for pivoting about the elongateaxis of the flexible member as it extends from the second end.Preferably, the anchoring device is a novel, toggling type in which atoggling member is pivotally attached to the flexible member at a balljoint.

U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,553,685, 5,595,260, 5,687,535, 5,730,245, 5,850,889,6,732,835, 6,779,316, 6,868,647, 6,966,531, and 7,708,246, plusPublished Patent Applications 2005/0269154 and 2011/0085873 are hereinincorporated by reference in their entirety.

The foregoing patent information reflects the state of the art of whichthe inventor is aware and is tendered with a view toward discharging theinventor's acknowledged duty of candor in disclosing information thatmay be pertinent to the patentability of the technology describedherein. It is respectfully stipulated, however, that the foregoingpatent and other information do not teach or render obvious, singly orwhen considered in combination, the inventor's claimed invention.

BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The technology described herein pertains to devices configured forhooking to a ridge rafter of a building.

In an exemplary embodiment the technology described herein comprises asingle piece unit, made from steel or another sufficiently strongmaterial which is hooked at one end and looped at the other end thusforming an eye. The hook starts by turning a 90 degree and then a 0degree to 180 degree turn. The compound angle thus formed allows thedevice to be angled into a small opening. The device is used to hook theridge rafter from the bottom side of a building roof while having atie-off point for fall protection.

In an exemplary embodiment to use the technology described herein a userdrills a hole into a roof and inserts the hooked end of the rod into thehole thus formed and turns the device until it hooks with the farterbelow. The user then pulls the eye upward to tighten up against therafter. The user then holds this position while sliding a washer down tocover the hole. Then the user slides a sleeve down the device that has athumb screw or bolt, and tightens the thumb screw or bolt in order tosecurely hold the device in place. This anchor can now be used toprovide fall protection.

An aspect of the technology described herein is that it provides asolution to the problem of needing a secure anchor point to a ridgerafter or metal joist whenever there is a need to provide for safetyfall protection.

Another aspect of the technology described herein is that it provides aquick way to install an anchor point from the roof side by drilling ahole through the deck and hooking to a rafter while still being on theroof.

Another aspect of the technology described herein is that screws ornails are not needed to secure it to a roof.

Another aspect of the technology described herein is that it uses thestrongest rafter of a building as a securing point.

Another aspect of the technology described herein is that it takes onehole through a roof to install.

Another aspect of the technology described herein is that it easilyremoves from a roof

Another aspect of the technology described herein is that it isreusable.

Another aspect of the technology described herein is that it provides ananchoring system that is economical to manufacture.

There has thus been outlined, rather broadly, the features of thepresent invention in order that the detailed description that followsmay be better understood, and in order that the present contribution tothe art may be better appreciated. There are additional features of theinvention that will be described and which will form the subject matterof the claims. Additional aspects and advantages of the presentinvention will be apparent from the following detailed description of anexemplary embodiment which is illustrated in the accompanying drawings.The invention is capable of other embodiments and of being practiced andcarried out in various ways. Also, it is to be understood that thephraseology and terminology employed are for the purpose of descriptionand should not be regarded as limiting.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The technology described herein will be better understood by reading thedetailed description of the invention with reference to the accompanyingdrawing figures, in which like reference numerals denote similarstructure and refer to like elements throughout, and in which:

FIG. 1 is an elevational view of a roof ridge anchor, according to anembodiment of the technology described herein;

FIG. 2 illustrates the roof ridge anchor of FIG. 1 in the process ofbeing inserted into a hole in a roof in the proximity of a rafter;

FIG. 3 illustrates the roof ridge anchor of FIG. 1 installed in a roofand secured to a rafter;

FIG. 4 is a front plan view of the roof ridge anchor of FIG. 1; and

FIG. 5 is a right side plan view of the roof ridge anchor of FIG. 1.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

In describing the preferred and other embodiments of the technologydescribed herein, as illustrated in Figures. 1-5, specific terminologyis employed for the sake of clarity. The invention, however, is notintended to be limited to the specific terminology so selected, and itis to be understood that each specific element includes all technicalequivalents that operate in a similar manner to accomplish similarfunctions.

Referring now to Figures. 1-5, illustrated therein is a device, methodand system for providing a roof anchor to facilitate fall protection.

In an exemplary embodiment the technology described herein comprises asingle piece base unit 010, from ⅝″ to ¾″ in diameter and from 6″ to 18″in length, made from steel or another sufficiently strong material thatis hooked at one end and looped at the other end thus forming an eye100. The single piece base unite is further comprised of a centralelement 200 proceeding from the eye 100 and terminating in a hook 300.The hook 300 starts by turning a 90 degree and then terminates in a 0degree to 180 degree turn. The compound angle thus formed allows thedevice to be angled into a small opening, or hole, 500. The device isused to hook the ridge rafter 700 from the bottom side of a buildingroof 600 while having a tie-off point for fall protection. Thetechnology described herein is further comprised of a washer-tighteningsleeve assembly for securing the roof anchor.

In an exemplary embodiment to use the technology described herein a userdrills a hole into a roof and inserts the hooked end of the device intothe hole thus formed and turns the device until it hooks with the rafterbelow. The user then pulls the eye upward to tighten up against therafter. The user then holds this position while sliding a washer down tocover the hole. Then the user slides a sleeve down the device that has athumb screw or bolt, and tightens the thumb screw or bolt in order tosecurely hold the device in place. This anchor can now be used toprovide fall protection.

Although this technology has been illustrated and described herein withreference to preferred embodiments and specific examples thereof, itwill be readily apparent to those of ordinary skill in the art thatother embodiments and examples can perform similar functions and/orachieve like results. All such equivalent embodiments and examples arewithin the spirit and scope of the disclosed technology and are intendedto be covered by the following claims.

What is claimed is:
 1. In a wood roof having a truss structure composedof an array of a spaced apart joist running substantially perpendicularto a roof edge, a roof tie-off anchoring system, comprising: ananchoring assembly comprising a top eye portion, a main body portion, abottom hook portion, the anchoring assembly further comprising a roofsurface tightening assembly, the roof surface tightening assemblycomprised of, in combination, a washer and a tightening sleeve, thebottom hook in releasable locking engagement with an underside of thejoist through a hole in the roof edge and the roof surface tighteningassembly in releasable locking engagement with an upper side of the roofedge.